Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — As many as 60 mosques, among a total of 130 most treasured historical mosques across all 13 regions of Saudi Arabia have been preserved and restored during the first and second phases of the project's implementation. This was revealed in a review meeting of Prince Mohammed bin Salman Project for Development of Historical Mosques held in Riyadh on Tuesday.

During the meeting, the project reviewed governance, work phases, implementation paths, and the latest developments with stakeholders and officials from several governmental, non-profit, and private entities. The project aims to develop 130 historical mosques across the Kingdom while ensuring the preservation of their unique architectural elements and restoring them to their original state in line with modern requirements. The project, which was launched by Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman in 2018, is dedicated to preserving the Kingdom's mosques and sharing Saudi Arabia's rich culture, history, and heritage with the world.

The meeting was held at a time when the project reaches the midpoint of its historic mosque development journey, under the close supervision and guidance of the Crown Prince. His support is the largest in the history of supporting historical mosques, in terms of both the number of mosques and the total cost. This is due to their significant status in the Islamic faith, their status as one of the most important landmarks of urban heritage, their authentic architectural character, and the historical, cultural, and social depth represented by the mosques that come under the project.

During the meeting, the Steering Committee of the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Project for the Development of Historical Mosques highlighted the project's work in the first and second phases, which included the restoration and rehabilitation of 60 mosques across all regions of the Kingdom. This contributed to increasing the capacity of these mosques, enabling them to reopen to worshippers after decades of closure, thus resuming their role as religious and social centers in their local communities.

With the completion of these two phases, the project's completion rate reached approximately 50 percent, reflecting the seriousness of the work and the maintenance of its pace. Minister of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance Sheikh Abdullatif Al-Sheikh highlighted the importance of the Crown Prince's project to develop historical mosques, which aims to enhance the cultural dimension of the Kingdom, which is witnessing a renaissance in various fields and possesses a significant cultural heritage. He pointed out that this pioneering project has contributed to restoring the religious role of these mosques, which for centuries were filled with worship and life. He said that the restoration of these mosques reflects the wise leadership's keenness to care for the houses of God and restore life to them, so that they may be religious beacons commensurate with the Kingdom's status as the heart of the Islamic world.

For his part, Hani Al-Muqbil, chairman of the steering committee, said that the project was launched from a strategic and pivotal concept, which is development that goes beyond the concept of restoration. He pointed out that the development approach is promoted as a working method through five axes: developing historical mosques by preserving the authentic architectural identity of each mosque since its establishment; developing the environment surrounding mosques; developing national companies specialized in the field of rehabilitating historical mosques; raising awareness of the value of historical mosques and their cultural and civilizational importance; and developing an integrated work system that relies on giving everyone the opportunity to participate according to the competencies, responsibilities, and specific powers of each entity.

Al-Muqbil revealed that the project is based on three fundamental principles. The first is the shift from growth to development, shifting from growth within the framework of historic mosques themselves to community development outside of these frameworks—economically, culturally, civilizationally, and humanly. The second is embodied in the shift from unilateralism to partnership, promoting the principle of cooperation and partnership through harmonious and competitive efforts toward a common goal that everyone strives to achieve. The third principle is the sustainability of the project, which leverages capabilities by viewing the project's journey as a renewable one, the story of its sustainability lies in the convergence of capabilities.

Addressing the meeting, Dr. Jasser Al-Harbash, CEO of the Heritage Commission, said that the project is progressing steadily toward achieving its goals, praising the efforts of the specialized national teams working to document, design, and implement restoration operations according to the highest standards. "This project contributes to the preservation of Islamic heritage and places the Kingdom at the forefront of pioneering countries in the rehabilitation of historic and heritage buildings using precise scientific methods, while preserving their architectural authenticity. This enhances the position of Saudi heritage on the global map," he said.

Al-Harbash noted that identifying mosques targeted for development is subject to precise criteria that take into account their historical, cultural, and architectural significance, as well as their connection to the Prophet's biography and Islamic history. "This will involve restoring historic mosques by equipping them with modern services, such as women's prayer rooms, and improving ventilation, air conditioning, and lighting systems. This will ensure the preservation of each mosque's heritage character, thus contributing to making these mosques living testaments to the Kingdom's historical depth," he said.

The commission chief emphasized that development work is proceeding according to a clear vision and a well-thought-out timeline, and that work is underway to complete the development phases to reach the target number of mosques by 2030. This will enhance the Kingdom's position as a cradle of Islamic civilization and a global center for preserving Islamic heritage.

The meeting also addressed the social and cultural impact of the project, which has led to the revitalization of the historic neighborhoods surrounding these mosques and contributed to strengthening community cohesion. These mosques have once again become centers of religious and cultural life after having been closed for many years, reflecting the Kingdom's commitment to preserving and promoting its Islamic heritage and passing it on to future generations.

The meeting addressed the partners' roles and contributions to the project's success, with a focus on innovation in the management and implementation of development work. The project is being implemented by Saudi engineers and experts specialized in architectural heritage, in a way ensuring the highest quality standards and preserving the Islamic identity of historical mosques.